About

About Sue Cooper

I am a Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist, working in private practice in Cape Town since the early 1990s. I have a long-standing interest in the interface between psychological and spiritual approaches to self-discovery and inner healing, and have attended Buddhist meditation retreats, mainly in the Theravada tradition, for over 30 years, both in South Africa and at Gaia House in the UK. I have been inspired by the teachings of Ajahn Chah of the Thai Forest Tradition, and am deeply grateful to my primary teachers: Godwin Samararatne, Kittisaro and Thanissara, Ajahn Sucitto and Stephen and Martine Batchelor.

In 2010, I created and launched my “Open the Heart and Still the Mind” courses and retreats, which integrate Buddhist meditation and psychotherapy. I have a particular interest in exploring how our practice enables us to embrace our humanness, integrating love and loss in our lives, so that we can live and die with compassionate awareness.

Deep appreciation to Kittisaro and Thanissara, Louis and Chrisi Van Loon, Mervyn Croft, Billy Kennedy, Georgina Hamilton and Bridgette Vonbun and staff for the privilege and honour of offering retreats at their exquisite centres; and to Justine Seymour of Somersault Studio, Jim Harrington of ReUnion Yoga and Meditation Studio and Daniel Eppel of Edible Audio Studio for the use of their beautiful studio spaces for my courses and weekly groups.